The “butterfly effect” is the idea that tiny changes and decisions can inevitably lead to significant, often unrelated, outcomes. Everything that happens in life can be traced back through a network of moments that got someone or something to that point.

Think of it on a larger scale. You exist due to a series of personal interactions that extends generations before your birth.

The same phenomena can be applied to examples at Penn State. We brainstormed some butterfly effect moments related to all things blue and white. All of these sequences can be traced back even further, but we picked reasonable starting points for simplicity.

The Overturned Fumble Against Oregon To The Hiring Of Matt Campbell

It’s well known that the game against the Oregon Ducks started the downfall that inevitably led to James Franklin’s firing. And after a tumultuous and long coaching search, Penn State eventually decided that Iowa State’s Matt Campbell was the right man to lead this program forward. But what if I told you that we can trace Campbell’s hiring back to a specific play? 

With 3:40 remaining in the third quarter, Oregon was deep inside the Penn State red zone looking to break a 3-3 tie. But on a rush up the middle by Noah Whittington, Chaz Coleman punched the ball out of the running back’s hands, and Zakee Wheatley recovered it.

However, after an extensive video review, the referees deemed that the runner’s knee had grazed the grass before he lost control of the football, overturning the call on the field and declaring him down by contact. Oregon would go on to score on the next play.

If the call on the field of a fumble had stood, Penn State likely would have won the game. The Nittany Lions tied it late in the fourth quarter, but if it weren’t for the controversy, the team would have likely taken a late lead instead. 

And, if the blue and white had won the game, it’s plausible that they wouldn’t have lost to UCLA the following week either. It’s reasonable to assume that the heartbreak from the Oregon game took a mental toll on the players, triggering the dominoes to fall for a disastrous stretch. One loss turned into two, which turned into three after the Northwestern game.

Following the home matchup against the Wildcats, Franklin was relieved of his duties. After a 54-day coaching search, Campbell was hired to replace him. If it weren’t for the fumble controversy, Penn State would likely still have Franklin at the helm, and may only have one loss on its record. 

Terry Pegula Invests In Penn State Hockey To The Signing Of Gavin McKenna

In 2010, Penn State alum Terry Pegula had a vision to turn the Penn State hockey club into a Division I program. His family contributed over $100 million to develop the program and facilitate the construction of a new ice arena, now Pegula’s namesake.

The multi-million dollar donation led to Penn State’s ability to hand out scholarships to its athletes, and the shiny new facilities resulted in an increased number of talented recruits coming to Hockey Valley.

In the varsity program’s second year, it joined the Big Ten. Over the course of the 2010s, head coach Guy Gadowsky began to cultivate a winning culture. The program won the conference in 2016-17 for the first time.

Let’s fast forward to the 2024-25 season. After a winless streak to begin Big Ten play, Penn State turned its season around to advance to the NCAA tournament. Matt DiMarsico scored the overtime winner in the regional finals, sending the Nittany Lions to their first-ever Frozen Four.

This season, a rule change allowed junior players from the Canadian Hockey League to play in the NCAA. And after a lot of speculation, projected first-overall NHL draft pick Gavin McKenna announced that he would be coming to Penn State.

So many things had to go right for McKenna to commit to the Nittany Lions. If Matt DiMarsico had never scored his game-winning goal against UConn, it’s unlikely that McKenna would have bought into Gadowsky’s program. But it all started thanks to Pegula’s contribution. Penn State now has realistic national title aspirations, all thanks to the butterfly effect. 

IFC President Bill Lear Proposes The Idea Of A Dance Marathon To Over $254 million Raised For Pediatric Cancer

In 1972, IFC President Bill Lear had the idea to create a Dance Marathon to raise money for a “worthwhile cause.” The event took place in a ballroom in the HUB for 30 hours and featured 78 dancers. The fundraiser raised over $2,000 in its inaugural year. Shortly after, Dance Marathon became a 48-hour ordeal. 

From that moment, the idea continued to grow into something remarkable. In 1977, Four Diamonds became the beneficiary of the event, expanding the scope of the fundraiser. The same organization continues to partner with and act as the driving force behind THON to this day.

In 1979, Dance Marathon moved into the White Building. As the movement became larger, more space was required to accommodate the increasing number of dancers, now at 286. By 1983, the event cracked the combined $100,000 threshold for the first time.

In 1987, THON became the official name of the largest philanthropic event in its category, and by 1992, it announced that over $1,000,000 had been raised for the first time in its history. 

From there, the event continued to thrive, moving to Rec Hall in 1999 and to the Bryce Jordan Center in 2007 to once again accommodate the growing number of participants. THON continued to shatter fundraising records as the years progressed. In 2025, the most recent edition, the year-long effort culminated in over $17 million raised for pediatric cancer.

From the very first THON up through today, combined efforts have amounted to over $254 million. And if it weren’t for that idea by Lear in 1972, it’s possible that the event, which has become a cornerstone of Penn State tradition, wouldn’t have existed.

Davis Shaver, Eli Glazier, And Evan Kalikow Get Together In Simmons Hall To This Article Being Published

In 2008, three masterminds by the names of Davis Shaver, Eli Glazier, and Evan Kalikow met up in Simmons Hall to discuss an idea that would change the future of collegiate media.

The Penn State news landscape, dominated by print journalism, lacked a modern resource aligned with current technology. The trio had the idea to start a blog to connect students with current happenings around Penn State. And just like that, Onward State was born.

On November 17, 2008, Shaver published the blog’s first post, a very short story titled “Rumor Mill,” which speculated on Girl Talk performing at Penn State.

As the site’s credibility and recognition grew, it began to cover a broader range of topics, such as the student protests, THON, and athletics. Onward State went on to win “Best Alternative Media Outlet” honor the following year, an award handed out by U.S. News & World Report.

It was during the Sandusky scandal that the blog really began to take off. Thousands of people turned to Onward State for the latest news and developments. The blog became an outlet for the masses, and its social media presence skyrocketed.

Since then, the staff writers of Onward State have produced 44,441 stories, from serious articles to the craziest tomfoolery. This story you are currently reading will add to that total. If it weren’t for Shaver, Glazier, and Kalikow, Onward State would not exist, I would not be on staff, and this article would have never come to fruition. Thanks for reading, folks.